1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to accessories attachable to a vehicle and, in particular, it relates to running boards.
2. Related Art
Manufacturers and vehicle users add running boards to vehicles for both aesthetic appeal and functionality. A person entering or exiting a vehicle may step onto the running board to more easily facilitate vehicle entry, particularly with respect to vehicles riding high off the ground, such as trucks. Running boards are known in the art, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,553 to Thompson, incorporated herein by reference.
Traditionally, running boards are formed with one piece construction and typically are either vacuum formed or injection molded. Although these manufacturing techniques perform suitably for some applications, because of the materials commonly used to manufacture the running boards, most running boards require support members mounted on to the vehicle frame in order to adequately support the weight load when somebody steps on the running board. A loss of structural strength and stability may occur across the mid-point of the running board if the weight load is centered on the running board.
On traditional running boards with lights, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,494 to Elwell, the lights are disposed on the under-side or outer-side of the running board to facilitate bulb changes. However, this exposure results in bulb breakage and build up of dirt, tar and other debris common to exposure to environmental conditions.
With ever-increasing vehicular travel, safety is of utmost importance. The more safety features a vehicle has, the more confident and safer the driver and passengers will feel. Lights that indicate vehicular dome light activation, vehicular braking, vehicular reverse gear engagement, vehicular turn signaling, vehicular emergency signaling, remote keyless entry activation, and vehicular headlight activation are safety features that have not seen widespread use in conjunction with running boards. Because running boards are easily viewed from the sides and at front and rear angles in relationship to the direction of vehicular travel, running boards present opportune vantage points to indicate others of the vehicle""s travel status. The present invention is directed at solving these and other apparent shortcomings in the art.
A vehicle running board for attachment to a vehicle is disclosed, the vehicle running board comprising a first running board component, a second running board component, a lamp assembly, and a coupling that joins the first running board component with the second running board component to provide an extended length running board. The lamp assembly is coupled with at least one of the first and the second running board components.
The lamp assembly emits light to indicate at least one of vehicular dome light activation, vehicular braking, vehicular reverse gear engagement, vehicular turn signaling, vehicular emergency signaling, remote keyless entry activation, and vehicular headlight activation. The lamp assembly comprises a light bulb fully enclosed within an enclosure. The lamp assembly is detachably coupled to a power source, and the power source may be the vehicle electrical system or a battery independent of the vehicle electrical system.
The first and second running board components have a top side and a bottom side, and a support member receiver disposed along the bottom side of at least one of the first running board component and the second running board component. A support member may be coupled with the support member receiver to provide additional structural stability to the running board.
Traction grooves are disposed on the top side of at least one of the first running board component and the second running board component. The vehicle running board may be formed by any number of techniques, including blow molding and rotational molding techniques. The vehicle running board may be constructed of thermoplastic resin, including styrenic compounds in general and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). The ABS may include a fiber additive, including glass fiber and/or mineral fiber.
A method of indicating at least one of vehicular dome light activation, vehicular braking, vehicular reverse gear engagement, vehicular turn signaling, vehicular emergency signaling, remote keyless entry activation, and vehicular headlight activation is also disclosed, the method comprising the steps of: coupling a vehicle running board on a vehicle, providing the vehicle running board with a lamp assembly in electronic communication with a lighting circuitry on the vehicle, the lighting circuitry operable to indicate at least one of vehicular dome light activation, vehicular braking, vehicular reverse gear engagement, vehicular turn signaling, vehicular emergency signaling, remote keyless entry activation, and vehicular headlight activation. The method further comprises the step of activating the lamp assembly in response to the lighting circuitry on the vehicle.